3/4 of Companies Monitor Employee Web Browsing

Wed May 9, 2007 12:30PM EDT

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Bad news, folks: Your boss is probably watching you read this blog post. A whopping 78 percent of CIOs in a recent poll confessed to installing content filtering or blocking software on their networks or otherwise watching what you do. The good news, I guess, is that you can always say it's work-related, right?

If you're worried about sweaty IT guys looking over your shoulder, the news isn't quite so bad. Most of the "monitoring" seems to be done on an ad hoc basis and as a matter of policy which blocks content or allows for monitoring. Only 14 percent of those queried actually use site filtering software and 4 percent block all web access.

While a shocking 60 percent of executives said "they want to keep their employees from wasting time at work," an even greater number cited genuine issues behind why they need monitoring software. 75 percent want to block inappropriate content (which can land an employer in legal trouble if it falls on eyes that don't want it), and 71 percent block websites to prevent viruses and malware from getting onto the network. Infected websites are possibly the most prevalent way that spyware is distributed today. It's hard to be angry over monitoring when ill-advised browsing can genuinely harm the company.

Is your boss watching where you surf? Do you even know? 

LINK: Majority of tech execs watch employee Web use 

Comments on 3/4 of Companies Monitor Employee Web Browsing

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  • 86 Posted by gdp_n_emc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:07PM EDT Report Abuse

    If we can't have a 4 day work week, maybe we should just all get off by 3:00? At least then, I could pick up my kid from school....

  • 87 Posted by trisha39 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why do so many people feel entitled these days? As a business owner, it has been my experience that the whiners are the same people who overstate their skills on resumes, abuse the internet, complain about everything including a "measly" $400 Christmas bonus and generally poison the office atmosphere. Any of you in my firm can just walk out, we're better off without you. The good employees here are treated with respect and are rewarded for their services to our organization. It's a two way street.

  • 88 Posted by hhh2003 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    I enjoy my job quite a bit, but it is rather mundane and having the internet access breaks up the monotony of my 8 hour day. I sit in a cubicle and process invoices by typing social security numbers from the invoices and then click a button after every SSN. I do it probably 1500 times in an 8 hour day and this is ALL that I do the enire day, 5 days a week. I'm not complaining; I like the company and the pay is good, but without the internet I would probably go insane! I have full access to the internet (no blocked sites) and sites are apparently cached and reviewed, but I process a high volume of invoices which I believe cancels out my internet browsing. I also don't visit porn sites or anything that would get me in trouble. Most of what I browse is news articles and CraigsList. It really helps break up the monotony of my job, keeps me informed on current events, and keeps me from shooting myself in the face due to boredom.

  • 89 Posted by julameez@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    As a small business owner, with an employee, an assistant manager I might add, that we expect to set the example for the other employees, plays solitaire all the time (700 games in three days), it tells you they are not doing their job. We had already taken it off of the computer and now she is going online and playing. This is one instance where we are monitoring, thankfully. And, yes, it is going to cost her the job....We don't pay someone to play solitaire!

  • 90 Posted by matthulk78 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    mps_resume, these people are doing their personal buisness on company time. just like hfrank9 said, it's stealing.

  • 91 Posted by stinkymeatman@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    I'm sorry, but Yahoo's articles about work and jobs are so out of touch with real life. Try featuring views and opinions from the manufacturing/ labor sector...the real workforce of America. Sitting in front of a computer all day at your "nine-to-fiver"; tippity typing away at meaningless coffee break, hour lunch, commute your life away, big-city, cubicle death "job" is not work. Sad but true folks.

  • 92 Posted by khdressage on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    That sucks!!!! It makes sense but still sucks!!!

  • 93 Posted by snowboardrep on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    You guys are geeks! You are probably all doing this while at work. So, go back to talking about gigs and bytes. Looking at porn is healthy! And maybe if you didn't have so many stupid meetings it would be easier to get things done on our own time!

  • 94 Posted by littlekay38 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    Don't the CEO's of these companys have anything better to do than to check on their employees. The employees are making a good wage but most of the CEO's of most companies are making 6 figure salaries! They are the ones stealing from the company NOT the guy on the bottom. If the employee has so much time on their hands who's fault is it? If their not busy enough look at their boses for answers and the CEO's. I am a former GM computer operator with 30 years.

  • 95 Posted by close_beau on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    Reasonableness is a standard applying to surveillance and monitoring activities. Electronic monitoring is reasonable when there is a business purpose http://www.pc-remote-monitoring.com/is-employee-monitoring-legal.htm

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